Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if it is his departments policy that Chagossian people must be assured of their right of abode within the British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Islands) before any transfer of sovereignty.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Honourable Member to the answer of 25 June 2025 to question 59999.
Asked by: Alex Burghart (Conservative - Brentwood and Ongar)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 9 June 2024 to Question 54793 on British Indian Ocean Territory: Sovereignty, what is the cash terms, monetary value of the Defence payment towards the Chagos deal in each individual year of the Spending Review 2025.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
I refer the hon. member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for South Suffolk (James Cartlidge), in response to Question 59129, on 23 June 2025.
Asked by: Aphra Brandreth (Conservative - Chester South and Eddisbury)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the marine protected area around the Chagos Archipelago since its establishment in 2010.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The British Indian Ocean Territory Administration has responsibility for the management and monitoring of its Marine Protected Area, which includes measures to tackle Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing and the monitoring of marine biodiversity.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department defines the Chagossian people as a distinct racial group of shared ethnic and cultural origin who are entitled to (a) recognition, (b) consideration and (c) treatment as such.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK government provides a range of support to people who were born on the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) / Chagos Archipelago and their descendants. The government has also maintained the current route to British citizenship for Chagossians until it expires in 23 Nov 2027.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 9 June 2025 to Question 54740 on British Indian Ocean Territory: Sovereignty, whether measures have been put in place to (a) protect equipment on the Chagos Archipelago outside of Diego Garcia from interference, (b) ensure that the government of Mauritius maintains the confidentiality of the locations of that equipment and (c) respond to any breaches of the agreement by Mauritius.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Treaty explicitly grants all rights and authorities that the United Kingdom requires for the long-term, secure and effective operation of the Base. Furthermore, Mauritius has committed to not undermine, prejudice or otherwise interfere with the long-term, secure and effective operation of the Base, and shall cooperate to that end. It is expected that the majority of security concerns that arise during the implementation of the Agreement will be resolved via the Joint Commission. If an issue arises that relates to the essential security interests of either the United Kingdom or Mauritius, which cannot be settled through the Joint Commission, Clause 3 of Article 14 provides the ability for direct Prime Ministerial consultation.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 10 June 2025 to Question 56764 on British Indian Ocean Territory: Marine Protected Areas, if he will list the dates and organisations that have held meetings with officials since July 2024.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
On various occasions Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office officials have met with the Chagos Conservation Trust, the Zoological Society of London and the BIOT Administration's Chief Scientific Adviser as part of stakeholder engagement. The most recent dates include meetings on 10 October and 9 December 2024, 12 February, 14 March, 21 March, 15 April, and 17 April 2025. We do not intend to provide a running commentary.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer given of 11 June 2025 to Question 54739 on British Indian Ocean Territory: Marine Protected Areas, if a Mauritius Marine Protected Area will be implemented to coincide with the implementation of the UK-Mauritius Treaty.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
As the Treaty states, the terms of the management and support provided by the UK to Mauritius to establish and manage the Chagos Archipelago Marine Protected Area will be agreed between the Parties by a separate written instrument, as part of implementation of the Agreement.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what changes he plans to make to the British Indian Ocean Territory (Constitution) Order 2004 following the Treaty with Mauritius.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Following entry into force of the Treaty, Mauritius will be sovereign over the Chagos Archipelago and the British Indian Ocean Territory will no longer exist. The Government will bring forward a Bill as soon as parliamentary time allows, which will make provision inter alia for the ongoing governance of Diego Garcia.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 9 June 2025 to Question 57196 on British Indian Ocean Territory: Sovereignty, whether changes were made to the (a) indexation measure for payments, (b) currency payments to be made and (c) the lease extension clause in the period between his oral statement of 7 October 2024 on British Indian Ocean Territory: Negotiations, Official Report, column 46, and the signing of the UK/Mauritius agreement concerning the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia, published on 22 May 2025.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
There has been no change to the terms of extension in the treaty. The treaty will last for 99 years and can be extended, securing the base well into the next century. As referenced in the UK/Mauritius joint statement on 3 October regarding the political agreement, indexation was always a part of the agreement. Between October and May, a shift to sterling values was agreed. At this point, we also strengthened provisions in the Treaty which secure the base and that will stop hostile actors or competitor states from establishing outposts in neighbouring islands. There was no increase to the overall quantum of the Agreement.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer given of 11 June 2025 to Question 54739 on British Indian Ocean Territory: Marine Protected Areas, whether he has had discussions with his Mauritian counterpart on their plans for fishing activities on the Chagos Archipelago.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
As with the reply to the Rt Hon Lady's previous PQ 59325, the terms of the management and support provided by the UK to Mauritius to establish and manage the Chagos Archipelago Marine Protected Area will be agreed between the Parties by a separate written instrument, as part of implementation of the Agreement.